Ato K. Ribeiro

MFA 2017

Untitled (Wooden Quilt 1)

Recycled wood, wood glue, 2016 22.5"w x 15"h x 1"d

My sculptures reflect veiled African influences embedded within Western culture and society, with a specific focus on subliminal states, histories and practices of “double consciousness” (a term popularized by W.E.B. Du Bois). Through highlighting the similarities between embedding public messages in textiles ranging from kente cloth to African-American quilting, I transfer my inspiration of the two fabrics by curating a collection of various kinds of discarded wood in order to speak to the currently overlooked beauty of peoples of African descent within the United States.